


the moon card

by anathemis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Gen, Independent Harry Potter, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Occlumency, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Powerful Harry, Protective Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anathemis/pseuds/anathemis
Summary: The summer before his 6th year of Hogwarts, Harry sends a letter that starts a chain of events he would've never anticipated happening. Taking on the wizarding world with newfound independence, self-confidence and friendships, Harry becomes the wizard he likes to think his parents would've wanted him to be, even if he has to use illegal means to get there...
Relationships: Remus Lupin & Harry Potter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 81
Collections: Waiting for updates





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> hey :) i'm anticipating on this fic being pretty big, considering the 'intro' chapter is nearly 4k words and there is a LOT to come. as we're in quarantine, i decided i needed a new project. i had a previous fic called 'the moon card' but i renamed that one to 'moontide theory' as i had bigger plans for both of them.
> 
> this fic begins in the summer between 5th and 6th year, with slight dumbledore and hermione/ron bashing. not so much that they are hated, but they aren't prominent in harry's life. harry also becomes grey in this fic, neither on the side of the light or the dark, aided by remus lupin and a few others. it is Gen for now, but that may change in later chapters, so i left it the rating at General Audience. i also have no beta reading it through, so there is bound to be mistakes. please let me know if you find any. :)
> 
> not many tags yet, but i'll add some as i go. thanks for reading!!

Flashes of red and yellow and blue fill Harry's vision, crackles of magic and cries of pain following. Around him, his friends and the Order are fighting Death Eaters, but he only has eyes for Sirius, stood not far from the veil in the middle of the room, expertly throwing spells around, looking healthier and happier than he had ever seen. A loud cackle from his right shook him from his stupor and he turned to the left, seeing the infamous Bellatrix stood not too far away, eyes on Sirius, a mad glint in her eyes, Before Hary could say anything, a flash of white left her wand, hitting Sirius square in his chest. Harry's heart dropped to his stomach, watching slowly as his godfather, his beloved Sirius, fell backwards, slipping into the veil. Every other sense left him immediately and he screamed, trying to run after him as his body disappeared, grasping weakly at the arms wrapped around him, agony ripping through his every molecule.

"Sirius!" He screamed, and suddenly, he was sat up in bed, eyes wide and tears falling, unheeded, from his cheeks. He breathed deeply, absently wiping at his face, tossing the thin duvet from his sweaty body. That's right; he was back at the Dursley's, not still in the Ministry, reliving Sirius' death over and over - well, except for his nightmares, that is. He laughed, humourlessly, before standing and stretching, quickly glancing at the broken little alarm clock on his dresser, flashing the numbers, 4:13AM, in a bright red colour. Knowing he wouldn't get back to sleep now, Harry sighed, standing by his window. The sky was just lightening, birds chirping every now and then. Most of the country was still asleep, though.

He sighed again, dropping his head into his hands. Only 1 week into summer and it was already mind-numbingly boring. After the warnings of last year (although personally, Harry suspected that the incident with Dudley swayed them to stop treating him the way they normally did) the Dursley's had softened somewhat, not forcing him to work all hours of the day. His trunk remained with him in his room and he wasn't woken at 8am every morning to cook breakfast, though he was usually awake anyway so it wouldn't have made a difference. He was given one plate of food a day, usually scraps from dinner, but it was more than enough to keep him going. His door was also left unlocked, unless the Dursley's were out, at which point Vernon had locked him in his room, with a swift warning to not do anything 'freaky' whilst they were gone. Harry was content to sit in his room all day, not even needing the warning. While living here wasn't exactly stellar, he had been given ample time to grieve Sirius and complete summer homework. He took his time with the latter, knowing that he'd need everything possible to keep himself entertained, not having any chores to complete anymore. Though he was only 15, at the age of 16 in a few weeks, he would be able to leave and go anywhere he wanted - not that there was anywhere he actually wanted to go, mind you. He was perfectly happy to remain here, away from the Wizarding World until the start of his 6th year forced him to return to Hogwarts in September. As far away from Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore was preferable, actually - Ron and Hermione had been pretty distant since the whole event at the Ministry, especially at a time he needed their friendship and reassurance the most and Dumbledore had practically abandoned him for the whole of 5th year, ignoring any attempt he had made to talk to him. Quite frankly, Harry was happy to not see them till he had to in September. Even then, he was reluctant to just fall back into line, return to his dutiful soldier position. Overall, he was mostly angry at himself though - for not knowing that Voldemort had planted the vision of Sirius at the Ministry, for not warning him before Bellatrix's spell hit him, for putting people he genuinely cared about in needless danger, for being so weak in the face of his greatest adversary. Perhaps if he'd not cast Legilimens on Snape last year and had actually learned Occlumency, he wouldn't've been in this position. He sighed for the third time and sat back on his bed, noting the sun now rising and filtering into his box-sized bedroom, dust particles dancing in the stream of sunlight.

His mind suddenly turned to Remus, remembering how he gripped Harry tight to prevent him from falling into the veil after Sirius, the anguish he felt at knowing Remus' last friend was dead. He should probably say sorry for luring Sirius there, but he didn't want to anger him further. He knew Remus must be really alone now though, the whole of Grimmauld Place to himself. Should he send him a letter? He tossed between leaving it until he next saw him in person and just sending him a letter but finally made his mind up, knowing how he'd probably chicken out at the last minute if he attempted to apologize in person. 11 years in a cupboard really dulled your socializing skills, Harry thought, dryly.

He sat at his rickety desk and pulled some parchment out of his open trunk beside it, following with an inkpot and a quill. He dipped his quill into the ink and began his letter, trying to keep it composed but truthful.

_Remus,_ it began,

_I would like to start this letter by apologizing. I know that if I'd just stopped to think, to remember that Voldemort could plant visions in my head and think it through rationally, Sirius may still be alive right now. I know I acted rashly and it is my fault that he is dead. I really am sorry. I know you're probably angry at me for causing you to lose your best friend and I don't blame you. I am angry at myself too._

_I am sorry. I know I'm the last person you want to hear from right now. I'm sorry._

_Harry_

With that done, he dropped his quill back into the inkpot and blew on the parchment, drying it. He read it through again, cringing at how he'd worded it but knowing there was nothing more he could do. He folded it slowly, heart heavy with guilt and loss, and dropped the letter into an envelope. On the front, he wrote, Remus Lupin. He would've put an address, but he knew Hedwig would find him regardless and he didn't actually know if Remus was still at Grimmauld Place. Perhaps he'd burnt the whole house to the ground, and rightfully so, Harry thought, remembering the dingy rooms littered with dark objects and the dark magic practically infused into the walls. No one liked that place, least of all Sirius.

Before his thoughts became any more depressing, he took the letter over to Hedwig, opening her cage and waking her up. She blinked at him, golden eyes shining bright in the summer sun.

"I need you to deliver this letter to Remus Lupin for me. Can you find him?"

She nodded - sort of, as much as an owl could nod, so he tied the letter to her foot and took her over to the window, opening it for her.

"He probably won't respond, so just come back when you've delivered it, okay?"

She took off out of the window and Harry watched her go, not knowing whether he should regret sending it or not. When she'd disappeared into the horizon, he shut the window again, noting the time on the clock again (5:54AM this time) and ran a hand through his hair. He opened his door, careful to not wake up the rest of the house, and went into the bathroom. Not feeling up to a shower this early, he splashed his face with water, completed his ablutions, and returned to his room. He sat back into the chair by his desk, reaching into his trunk for the first book he could find.

When he felt something resembling a book, he pulled it out and looked at the cover, 'Moste Potente Potions', by Phineas Bourne. He rolled his eyes, faintly remembering picking it up last year in Diagon Alley, but nevertheless, he turned the cover and began reading it, settling into his chair.

"Better than nothing," he commented. 'Better than thinking about Sirius' went unsaid but was still clearly implied.

Soon, he was absorbed into the Potions book, avidly reading page after page, not that he'd tell anyone that...

-x-

He woke up the next day at 6am to a loud pecking at the window and got up, letting Hedwig in from delivering his letter to Remus yesterday. He rubbed his eyes, feeling quite rested, his sleep remaining unbroken and free of nightmares. Hedwig hopped onto the window sill and Harry shut the window behind her, not noticing the letter tied to her leg till she hooted at him, her leg stuck out.

Instantly feeling more awake, he untied the letter, eyes widening. He'd actually replied to his embarrassing letter? Well, wasn't that a surprise? He took Hedwig over to her cage, filling the attached bowl with treats, before sitting back on his bed, holding the envelope in his pale hands. On the front was 'Harry James Potter', in Remus Lupin's familiar scrawl.

He turned it over, pulling up the tab, almost ripping the letter in his haste to read what was written. He felt dread settle in his stomach, nervous that Remus had written to tell him to never contact him again and that it really was his fault. That would probably hurt just as much as Sirius' death itself. With shaking hands, he unfolded the letter, reading it through, tears coming to his eyes.

_Harry,_ it started,

_**SIRIUS' DEATH WASN'T YOUR FAULT!** _

_How could you even think that? Sirius left the safety of Grimmauld Place of his own volition, knowing how dangerous it would be. He would've done it anyway, knowing he would die, just because you were in danger. He loved you, Harry, like a father loves a son. He would've done anything for you, even die, ironically. You weren't to knows that Voldemort was placing thoughts in your head - you're 15, Harry. You should have no part in this war._

_I am sorry for all of my mistakes over the years, too - I should've taken you in when you were just a baby, rather than falling off the grid completely. I should've done what James and Lily wanted me to do. Not even I would've been able to stop Sirius from coming after you. My anger lies with people like Dumbledore and the rest of the Order, rather than you. I would've written sooner, but the full moon was only a few days ago and without Sirius here to soften the blow, it was quite difficult. Regardless, I am very glad to hear from you, cub. No matter what happens in the coming months or years, I am on your side._

_Not Dumbledore's, not the Order's, not even the side of the Light. I am on yours. I know Sirius would've been, too._

_Speaking of, what are your plans for the rest of the summer? If it helps at all, I can send you some books from the Black Library. I am still at Grimmauld Place for now, as I can find no other residence, especially after the events of your third year._

_Looking forward to hearing back from you,_

_Remus_

After wiping away his tears at the letter, he stood up, filled with new determination. The next few weeks wouldn't go to waste while he was here at Privet Drive. If Dumbledore wasn't going to be of any use, he'd have to take matters into his own hands. He could ask Remus for some books on Occlumency from the Black Library, try to rectify what Snape couldn't last year, and teach himself.

Remus' words struck a chord in him - 'I am on your side.' Did Harry even have a side in this war? That, and how was he supposed to fight Voldemort, someone with 50+ years of magical experience on top of his Hogwarts education, when Harry couldn't even cast a spell to injure people? Death Eaters were raiding almost weekly at this point, killing wizards all over Britain, using dark curses meant to injure and cause pain or death, but Harry was supposed to, what, kill Voldemort with an epic Expelliarmus? Transform him into a giant cup? No, simple Light spells like that wouldn't work. He would have to teach himself, especially if he had the Black Library at hand. He certainly wasn't opposed to using dark magic, although everyone else seemed to think differently. However, there was still one problem; he still couldn't use his wand as he hadn't turned 17 yet, so the Tracking Charm was still placed on his wand by the Ministry. How was he supposed to practice magic with that in place?

With a host of new questions to ask Remus, he sat at his desk again, pulling his parchment and quill closer and began to write another letter.

_Remus,_

_You have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you. It is so good to hear from you as I envisioned you wanting to never speak to me again, blaming me for what happened at the Ministry. Thank you, your letter was so reassuring._

_You're right though, I don't want any part of this war. I was born into this position of being the Boy Who Lived. I do love my parents, but I can't remember having ever known them. I just want to be normal. I know that it's too late for that, though. I need to do something about it, rather than spend the whole summer moping around, thinking of Sirius._

_Your letter posed a lot of thoughts, actually; I want to make my own side in this war, not with Dumbledore or the Light or even the Dark. I am not being tutored in ways to kill Voldemort whilst under Dumbledore so I've decided to take matters into my own hand. I want to learn new spells, spells that can hurt or kill, spells that can actually help me defeat the opposition. Anything goes; Light, Dark, even Grey spells. I need anything I can get my hands on and I know the Black Library will have what I'm after. Would it be possible for you to send some books on Occlumency along with Hedwig? Something easy at first but considering I have Voldemort in my mind, something more complex too._

_My anger lies with Dumbledore too, actually. He didn't help me whatsoever last year, leaving me under the loving tutelage of Snape to teach me Occlumency, That ultimately failed, but nothing else happened, in terms of getting me ready for this inevitable war._

_I need your word, Remus, that you won't tell Dumbledore what I'm doing. I need this to be a secret because I know he would put a stop to it as soon as it began. I need to do this, Remus, and I want you here with me. Looking forward to your reply._

_Harry,_

_P.S. is there anything I can do about the Tracking Charm on my wand?_

He folded it up, slipped it into another envelope, and wrote Remus' name on the front. Then, he waited a few hours for Hedwig to rest from her flight, placing the letter to the side and turning back to the Potions book from yesterday. He'd actually found some pretty useful spells in it, such as one that could correct his eyesight and another Nutrition Potion that could help him build up some muscle and gain a healthier body. While he'd grown up a lot in the last year or two, he was far off from the rest of his year, putting it down to the years of neglect at the hand of the Dursley's. Knowing he'd have to wait until September to even attempt to brew anything, he was content with making notes for now, writing down potions he knew would come in handy. Why did I not read this sooner, Harry thought, shaking his head, and why hadn't anyone else thought of them?

-x-

The next morning, Harry woke with a strangled cry in his throat, immediately sitting up in bed and breathing hard. He sat still for a few moments, catching his breath, ridding his mind of the nightmare. He saw Sirius falling again, but this time, he was followed by Remus, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. In one fell swoop, he was left completely alone to the whims of the rest of the Death Eaters. He woke after the first Crucio curse hit his body, jolting him awake.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, wiping a hand over his face. It was 9:43AM this time, thankfully, so he could have a shower without risking the wrath of the Dursley's. He grabbed the towel from the bottom of his wardrobe and a clean t-shirt and some jeans and left the room. He gently closed the bathroom door behind him, putting his clothes on the toilet lid and his towel on the radiator. He turned the shower on, stripped his clothing, and left them in a pile on the floor. He'd have to beg Aunt Petunia to let him do some laundry at some point in the next few days but he dreaded even speaking to her. All he'd seen of her so far this holiday is when she opens the door and puts a plate of food on the floor, closing it again without a word. She hadn't even been in the house when Uncle Vernon got him from the station just over a week ago.

He clambered into the shower cubicle, relishing in the hot water. It was probably near-scalding but Harry liked it like that, especially after being forced to have quick cold baths for 13 years of his life. He quickly washed his body with some random body wash on the shower shelf and used just enough shampoo so it went unnoticed by the Dursley's.

After his quick shower, he dried and got dressed again, brushing his teeth before leaving with his dirty clothes in his arms. He dropped them into his broken laundry basket by his door, which he softly closed behind him. The Dursley's might be a little nicer this summer, but he wasn't about to give them a reason to be angry at him. He draped his wet towel over the radiator underneath the window and lay back on his bed, waiting for Remus' response.

Around 4 hours later, whilst he was eating the last of the fruit on his plate that had been delivered only 15 minutes prior by his Aunt, he heard a quick _taptaptap_ on his window. He jumped up, putting the plate down and opened the window, rejoiced at seeing Hedwig hop into the room, a parcel and a letter tied to her foot.

He quickly relieved her of her burdens and led her to her cage again, putting the parcel on the desk and turning to the letter.

_Harry,_

_In the parcel are 4 books. 3 of them focus around Occlumency, one them being for beginners. It's actually aimed at young Purebloods as they are typically taught to Occlude at a young age, but the other two are a lot more complex. The last book is actually illegal but it's not surprising that it was in the Black Library. It contains the disabling charm to get rid of the Tracking Charm on your wand, but be careful; don't let it fall into the wrong hands. The disabling spell will go unnoticed by the Ministry too._

_Regarding your place in this war, I wholeheartedly agree. I know what you're saying is true about Dumbledore - if anything, the Light side is as bad as the Dark side, especially as they are doing next to nothing to stop these continuous raids. I'm not sure if you heard but there was an attack on Muggles in London. Some died, some gravely injured, but Death Eaters collapsed a bridge. Additionally, they raided Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley and took Ollivander with them for some reason, so be careful if you are going to leave Privet Drive. They're not afraid of both the Muggle and Wizarding World anymore._

_As a werewolf, I am already ostracized by the Light side and the Ministry, but I refuse to join Voldemort, so I am considered Neutral in this war anyway. You have my word that I will not tell anyone, especially Dumbledore, what you're doing. I can give you my Oath or Unbreakable Vow if you need it. I am as tired of this pointless war as you are, although if the Prophecy really exists, then your part is extremely important._

_For now, focus on Occluding your mind and disabling the Tracking Charm. When that is completed, I can send you some books with spells that I think would be useful in the upcoming war. You need to be strong in this war, Harry. I hate to say it, but this war will end with you. It is inevitable._

_Please be safe, cub,_

_Remus_

Giddy with excitement, he ripped open the parcel, noting the Featherweight Charm placed on it for Hedwig's convenience and spread the four books out in front of him, reading the titles. 'Occlumency For Beginners' and 'Illegal Counter Charms For The Regular Wizard' caught his eye first and he picked up the latter, lying down on his back to read. He really needed to get rid of that pesky Tracking Charm before anything else happened. Before he turned the cover over, he noted a little slip of paper between two of the pages, about halfway through the book.

Opening it to that page, he grinned, shaking his head fondly. An arrow on the slip pointed to a certain counter spell about halfway down the page: 'Disabling Tracking Charms.' He read through it quickly, grabbing his wand from beside the broken clock, excited at the prospect of being able to use magic. Even though it was only a few weeks away from his birthday, the sooner he started learning, the better.

The incantation for the spell was relatively simple along with the method. Harry placed his wand in the center of his hand, palm upwards, intently focused on the spell, and recited the words.

"*Exterminare semita,*" he said, feeling the usual rush of magic flow through his hands and into his wand. It vibrated for a moment before a loud snapping sound resonated through the room. Unsure if it worked, he closed the book and put it down, grasping his wand properly in his hand.

He pointed it at the quill on his desk and summoned it to his hand, using Accio, before sitting patiently, in case a Ministry letter would arrive. After half an hour passed and there was no owl at his window, he grinned, knowing the spell worked.

That done with, he picked up the 'Occlumency For Beginners' book and settled in to read, renewed with hope and determination to get stronger.

This year, Dumbledore AND Voldemort wouldn't know what hit them, he thought, laughing slightly.


	2. chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i only uploaded the first chapter of this fic yesterday but i have so much spare time on my hands, what with lockdown and quarantine and procrastinating my real college work, i had plenty of time to write another chap. this one is just over 3.6k words, less than i wanted but it'll have to do.
> 
> if you find any mistakes, please let me know! thanks for reading. :)

_Harry,_

_Happy Birthday, cub!_

_I'm sorry that Sirius isn't here to celebrate, nor your parents or your friends, but I want to extend an invitation for you to live with me, here, at Grimmauld Place. I don't expect you to accept, God knows I wouldn't, knowing the state of this place and how boring it is, not to mention being away from your friends. I don't know what your plan is for your living situation, but you are very welcome to come and live with me. As Sirius' godson, you take the name of Lord Black anyway so Grimmauld Place is technically yours, but that's a matter for later._

_Hoping to see you soon!_

_Remus_

Harry grinned, folding the letter back up and placing them on his desk before dragging some parchment towards him. He knew instantly that he was going to accept Remus' invitation, even if it was in Grimmauld Place. Now that he was 16, he was free to live anywhere, although he couldn't legally use his magic outside of Hogwarts for another year, not that it stopped him. That disabling spell on his wand had worked wonders! Not only was he able to complete warming spells and practice his 6th-year syllabus already, but he had also been able to practice darker spells that Remus had sent him. They'd corresponded quite a bit since Harry's first letter to Remus, a good 4 weeks ago. In that little amount of time time, he was actually proud of what he'd accomplished.

The first week was spent meditating for hours on end, trying to clear his mind and not allow his mind to wander, though it was much more peaceful than the way that Snape had half-heartedly tried to teach him last year. Every night, he sat for a good few hours on his bed with his eyes closed, trying to enter his own mind. The Beginners book simplified it greatly for him - at first, he could empty his mind by visualizing something like a flame or a flower or something similar, releasing all of his thoughts. After that, he became quite skilled at emptying his mind at will, slipping quite easily into a relaxed state. After that, it was quite a shock when he suddenly found himself stood in a nondescript Hogwarts corridor, surrounded by classrooms. If he tried to leave the corridor and turn at the end, he simply ended up back where he'd started. He'd read quite a bit on this in one of the more complex books, which stated that his 'mind' would appear to him as a place he truly loved, or where a lot of good memories resided in his mind. It seemed that even his subconscious thought of Hogwarts as home, rather than the Dursley's, he'd thought ironically at the time. When he attempted to enter the classrooms, all he found inside - instead of the normal desks, chairs, and artifacts around the walls - was a single book on a pedestal in the middle. When he flicked through them, they were empty. He knew he wanted to organize his mind via the emotions surrounding each memory, starting with the bad memories first knowing that anyone that broke through his shields would have to feel grief, pain, and loss primarily. To put each memory into the pages of the books, he placed his hand on the page, allowed to memory to vividly play in his mind, forcing it onto the page of the book. He repeated the process over and over during his hours of meditation, starting with the good memories to practice, before moving onto his more difficult ones, such as his nights in the cupboard as a young child and his memories of Voldemort, although he left an entire book dedicated to _him_.

He knew he would have to repeat the process every now and then, adding new memories, but the process got easier and easier, quicker too. His mind recalled memories he'd completely forgotten, even bad ones. Most of his good memories were of Sirius and his friends at Hogwarts, even the Burrow and his brief time at Grimmauld Place. He left one book to the end - memories of his parents. They were few and far between, like hearing Lily scream when Voldemort killed her or when he was given the album with the picture of his parents in the front.

One day, while he was browsing his rooms, locking each and every room up with numerous locks, charms and wards (which he found worked, even in his mind, although he didn't know very many of the latter yet) he came across a new door, one he hadn't entered before. He pushed it open slowly and was immediately assaulted by a bright golden light, radiating warmth and magic, pulsating with it. In the middle of the room was a large glowing podium of light, floor to ceiling. It was a rich gold colour, but when Harry looked closer, he saw they were individual strands, varying in thickness from his arm to half of his pinky finger. They were swirling around each other, emitting the most beautiful light that Harry had ever seen. Mixed in were strands of blue, green and red, but the most prominent colour was gold. The warmth and positivity he felt made his knees weak and he sat down heavily on the floor, tears coming to his eyes due to the sheer love and powerful emotions.

The book he read did mention this, his magical core, but it was hardly ever revealed to a witch or wizard and needed external means to find it. The books said they were usually primary colours, but more powerful wizards had a range from silver to gold. Harry already knew that his magic was powerful - his accidental magic as a child and his ability to produce a corporeal Patronus at 13 proved that - but he certainly didn't expect this! Very few wizards had silver or gold cores, the only other known wizards with these magical cores were Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindlewald and even Tom Riddle, though he doubted Voldemort's was still this bright and positive. 

When he reached a hand out to touch the core, it vibrated, attracted to his touch. He instantly felt happier inside, warmer and filled with love. He didn't think his magical core would be this big, or this powerful. He even doubted if he'd find it in the first place. One part, however, concerned him. Mixed in with the gold and the blue, red and green was a thick black strand, seemingly fighting against the rest of his magical core. It felt cold to the touch and seemed to have a similar effect as a Dementor on him. It didn't take Harry very long to realize that this was somehow a part of Voldemort, and probably the way that he could see into Harry's mind and plant visions there.

Making sure to remember it, he left the room, closing the door behind himself and locking it up just as tight as the rest. The black strand was worrying but at the Dursley's, he'd have no way of finding out what it was. He'd have to wait until he had access to a library or wizards with more experience in this kind of thing.

During the day, he focused on practicing new spells and curses, namely dark or illegal in manner, all sent to him by Remus. He didn't want to practice these spells on people or innocent animals, so he often used 'Serpensortia' to summon a snake or two to practice on, but it wouldn't have the same effect as a real person. He found that he could teach himself much better than he learned in Hogwarts, especially as he could go at his own pace and focus on his studies, rather than being dragged into playing Chess with Ron or his mornings being taken up by Quidditch practice. With his mind fully Occluded, he could focus on his magic now. He didn't realize he'd have such an affinity for darker spells too, thinking that his magic would be reluctant to cast spells meant to main or injure but they came as naturally as lighter spells and curses.

When his Aunt had opened the door to see him casting 'Praemium' at a 6ft Python, watching as it exploded into a million little pieces, she'd screamed bloody murder and ran off, dropping the plate of food in the process. Harry simply swiped his wand and it returned to the plate, watching as his Aunt ran down the stairs, yelling his Uncle's name repeatedly.

"Vernon! The freak's doing magic up there!" Before Harry could say anything, Uncle Vernon came bounding up the stairs and slammed his door open but when he found Harry suddenly stood in front of his face, wand pressed to his thick fat neck, he'd blubbered and mumbled for a minute before turning tail and running back down the stairs. Later that day when Harry left his room and walked into the kitchen, he found that no one would even look at him, or speak to him. Shrugging, he'd scrounged in the fridge and cupboards for food before taking it all back upstairs.

He didn't really like scaring his relatives into obedience, even if it was accidental, but if it meant he ate well this summer, he wasn't about to complain any further. Whenever he was hungry now, he could leisurely wander downstairs, into the kitchen and take whatever he fancied, no one daring to speak a word against it. Even Dudley seemed tame this year, barely having spoken a word to him, apart from saying hello when he got here. That had taken Harry aback, but then he remembered what happened last summer and wondered if Dudley had had a change of heart. He did save his life, after all.

In the mornings, Harry felt more refreshed than ever, even going as far as transfiguring some old jeans into running shorts, fixing up some old trainers he found in the cupboard under the stairs. He went running, starting slow at first and sticking to streets that he knew, his wand in his pocket, but gradually built up, running for an hour or more. Thankfully, he hadn't run into any trouble but he kept his wand in reach at all times, scanning the streets and making note of neighbourhoods that had been 'mysteriously attacked,' which was how the Muggle newspapers had referred to the Death Eater attacks. Even though he hadn't been running for long, he'd felt healthier than he had in years and with the ample amounts of food he'd been eating, he was noticing his body had taken on a much healthier look. Combined with the Nutrition Potions and Sight Corrector Potion, he'd hoped he could actually look healthy before his 6th year started.

Now, here he was sat, writing his reply to Remus, feeling his excitement build minute by minute. It was his 16th birthday today and whilst he'd already received letters from Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore, Remus' letter was the first he was going to reply to. Ron and Hermione were together at the Burrow, it seems, and they'd sent him some chocolates, but other than that, they seemed to be too busy sucking away at each others' faces. Harry rolled his eyes and put their letters aside. The letter from Dumbledore wished him a happy birthday too, but the main purpose of the letter was to clearly ask him to stay indoors at the Dursley's until he came to collect him on the 4th, to take him to the Burrow. With any luck, Harry would already be at Grimmauld Place by then. Speaking of, he focused on writing his letter to Remus.

_Remus_

_Thank you! I would LOVE to live with you, even if it is at Grimmauld Place. I don't want to go to the Burrow this year and anyway, I want to continue practicing magic with you and it would be especially easier in person. Dumbledore is supposed to pick me up on the 4th, so would it be possible to move sooner? Also, how would I get there? Thanks again Remus, I can't wait to see you!_

_Harry_

With that done, he tied the letter to Hedwig's leg and opened the window for her, feeling giddy. He closed the window again and went downstairs, feeling his stomach grumble. At first, he'd just been taking food from the kitchen out of spite but now that he was eating three round meals a day, he found his appetite had increased in leaps and bounds!

-x-

The next day, Harry was sat on his bed, book in hand, eating grapes from a plate nearby when he heard a 'crack' outside his window. Confused, he jumped up and looked outside, dropping his book in excitement when he saw the familiar face of Remus stood near the pathway to 4 Privet Drive. He ran downstairs, opened the door and laughed in glee.

"Remus!" He shouted, running to him and hugging him.

"Hello, Harry!" Remus returned his hug with just as much vigor, squeezing him tight. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's so good to see you too!" Suddenly, Harry broke away, his face turning serious. "Tell me something only Remus Lupin would know."

"Really?" At Harry's insisted nod, Remus thought for a moment before saying, "in your third year of Hogwarts, where I was your Defense Against The Dark Arts professor, we covered a lesson on Boggarts. Ron Weasley's Boggart was a large spider and yours was a Dementor."

Harry stood for a moment, before shaking his head. "There were children of Death Eaters in that class that could've got that information. Something else."

Remus sighed but acquiesced, saying, "I, Moony, your father, Prongs, Padfoot and Wormy made a map of Hogwarts called the Marauder's Map, which showed the place of everyone in Hogwarts. The phrase to open the map was, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' and the phrase to close it was-"

"Okay, okay, it's you," Harry said, grinning brightly. "You have no idea how excited I am," he said, reaching out to hug Remus again.

"Well, go fetch your things. We need to be out of direct sight as soon as possible." 

Harry nodded and ran back into the house, ignoring the weak protests of his Aunt and Uncle. When in his bedroom, he waved his wand and his belongings immediately flew into his trunk, including his clothes and his letters from his friends. He locked it and grabbed Hedwig's cage, taking both of them downstairs. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, his Aunt and Uncle were stood near the front door, with Dudley just a few feet beside them.

"Aunt, Uncle, I am leaving. Thanks for nothing over the past 15 years, I hope to never see you again." He watched as his Uncle's face turned red and purple with amusement before looking at Dudley. "You're better than this, Dudley. I hope you realize that one day. If you do, write to me. If you don't, you'll probably still be living here anyway. I wish you luck regardless." Dudley nodded, and Harry gave him a small smile before closing the front door behind him.

He went over to Remus again, dragging his trunk behind him. Remus took Hedwig's cage from him and Harry nodded at him gratefully.

"Hedwig is at Grimmauld Place, I told her to stay and came to collect you. Have you ever Apparated before?"

Harry shook his head, having heard of it but never done it.

"I'll Apparate with you," Remus said, before putting a hand on his shoulder. "Brace yourself, Harry, and keep hold of your trunk."

Harry did as he said, closing his eyes tightly, feeling the Earth drop away from his feet. His whole body felt like it was being sucked through a straw but as quick as it started, it was done and he was back on his feet. He righted himself and he immediately knew they were on the street for Grimmauld Place but couldn't see it yet, till Remus handed him a little slip of paper. On it were the words, '12 Grimmauld Place.' As soon as he read the words, he watched again as, like last year, numbers 11 and 13 on the street broke away from each other, the familiar dingy house appearing.

Remus smiled at him warmly and Harry returned it before he walked over and opened the door for him and Harry, closing it behind themselves.

As it was still technically Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore and the other members were allowed to enter under the Fidelius Charm, but Harry and the rest of the Weasley's were too.

Remus took off into the house, opening the door to the kitchen and placing Hedwig's cage on the table. "She's in your room," Remus said, nodding to the cage.

"Thanks," Harry said, before stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Uh, which one is my room?"

"Mine is the first on the right now, yours is the room two doors down. And uh, Sirius' room is the one in between. I wasn't sure if you wanted that one though. You could go and unpack and I'll make us some lunch, unless you've already eaten?"

"I could eat," Harry said, "and thanks for letting me stay here. As much as I love Ron and Hermione, I want to focus on my magic for now. That, and I'm not sure how much of Ginny's lovesick staring I can take without wanting to pitch myself off the roof," he said, disdain dripping from every word.

Remus laughed at his words, nodding in understanding. "Alright well, get yourself settled, I'll shout you down when food is ready. Are you okay with spaghetti bolognese?"

Harry nodded eagerly, excited for some real food. As nice as fruit and sandwiches were, he hadn't wanted to spend any extra unnecessary time in the presence of his Aunt and Uncle whilst at the Dursely's, a homecooked meal was unprecedented in comparison. He dragged his trunk up the stairs, wondering why that awful portrait of Walburga Black wasn't screaming at him, making a note to ask Remus when he went back down. As he passed Sirius' room, his heart felt heavy with guilt and sorrow, but he quickly shook those thoughts from his head, opening his door. The room itself was simple but pretty, designed in the typical House of Black style. In one corner stood a dark oak table, a four-poster bed with clean grey sheets was on the opposite wall. Then, on the other side, a tall wardrobe was placed against the wall, obviously made from the same wood as the rest of the furniture in the house.

Above the desk was a wide window, with Hedwig perched on a little stand on the window sill. He grinned, dropped his trunk by his bed and went over to her, running a hand through her soft feathers. She preened under his attention, hooting quietly.

After a few minutes, he turned back to his trunk, opened it and pulled out his clothes and robes, hanging them in the wardrobe. The tidying spell from earlier was from one of the books Remus sent him, which was more of a list of practical spells that every witch and wizard should know, rather than curses or charms. He placed his school books onto the desk, along with his writing tools and parchment paper and put his photo album under his bed - it seemed that some habits from his childhood remained, even to this day.

With that done, he closed his trunk again and pushed it as far under his bed as it would go before sitting heavily on top of the sheets, looking around the room. It was remarkably clean, much cleaner than the rest of the house, with the exception of the kitchen and drawing room. He remembered Ron and Hermione mentioning a lot of cleaning last summer whilst he'd been at the Dursley's, knowing that this is what they meant. That, or Remus had cleaned it in his preparation. The latter thought warmed him inside and he was very excited to settle in here, have a place to call home, even just for now.

In the next few weeks, he wanted to focus more on his studies and learn more and more spells that would help him for the war. It still scared him to know that he played a big part in the upcoming war but considering the raids by the Death Eaters were happening so often, one could say that war was already upon them. He also wanted to talk to Remus about plans for his 6th year, the thick black strand in his magical core and test his Occlumency skills out by allowing Remus to cast Legilimens on him, if he could. That was another thing Harry would have to ask him over dinner.

For now, he could relax into the bed a little, excited for the next few weeks before he had to go back to Hogwarts. He grabbed a book from his desk before returning to his bed, opening it to the last page he had read before Remus picked him up from 4 Privet Drive. This one was on curses meant to disrupt an opposition, rather than injure them, and was really rather interesting.

Soon, Remus shouted his name, and he bookmarked the book again, closed it and put it on his pillow, running out of the room, hunger getting to him. Yes, he thought, watching Remus put two plates down on the long table, this year is going to be very interesting indeed.


End file.
